About a year ago, we took a tour of the Central Library’s Ecoroof. It was neat to see a 95 year old building updated with an Ecoroof.
Just last week we had the pleasure of meeting with Matt Burlin, the City of Portland’s Sustainable Stormwater Management Outreach Coordinator, for another ecoroof tour. We are actually just being polite when we say it was a pleasure. Matt was a nice guy, and all, but as we reached the penthouse level of the sleek new Pearl tower we were visiting, the Portland winter sky opened up and unleashed upon us a ferocious mixture of snow and sleet and wind and rain and cold.
Over the roar and din, Matt pointed out the surrounding rooftops and their colorful mosaics of living roofs. I did the best I could to get photos without drowning the camera. But the weather was really remarkably bad. Matt said it was the worst weather during any of his tours.
We learned enough on our quick tour to know we certainly want to tour more projects from the Portland Ecoroof Program (maybe on a day when the weather is more cooperative . . . in August, and preferably with a summer beer in hand, when the rooftop BBQ is open).
Ecoroofs aren’t just for hippies, dainty environmentalists, and real estate developers. If you want to learn more about how they work, and maybe even put on your own structure (high rise, house, food cart or chicken coop!) go check out Ecoroof Portland 2011 on March 18 (10am to 6pm) at the Oregon Convention Center (777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd).
Participants will learn how ecoroofs work, why they’re important, and what resources are available to help start their own projects. They can get information directly from ecoroof vendors including architects, consultants, contractors, landscape architects, manufacturers, nurseries, structural engineers, suppliers, researchers, and non-profit and community organizations.
Go on a tour too (but be sure to bring your rain gear!).
Visit the Ecoroof Blog any time for project updates, announcements, and events. Ecoroof Portland can also be found on Facebook!
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